Glyphosate: The other side

I was away last week and someone in the office posted a piece about the Monsanto case where the jury awarded millions to a plaintiff claiming illness due to Roundup. When I heard about it I was in two minds about taking it down as I am utterly unconvinced glyphosate is dangerous.

So, here is the counter argument from some farmers on Facebook, the Peterson Farm Bros Please read it. Let me know what you think in the Comments below.

“As you may have heard, Monsanto was sued recently by someone claiming they received cancer from exposure to their herbicide glyphosate. The jury awarded millions of dollars despite there being no clear evidence of harm.

Facts about Glyphosate:
1. Glyphosate is one of the safest, least toxic herbicides farmers have available to use. The introduction of glyphosate phased out the use of chemicals with higher toxicity.
2. Glyphosate is a safe herbicide that is a valuable tool for farmers to use when used responsibly.
3. Glyphosate residues found in food are incredibly small. You would have to eat over a hundred servings a day of any food for it to come close to levels that could harm you.
4. Caffeine is more toxic than glyphosate. Table salt is of a similar toxicity as well.
5. We live in a world full of chemicals and eat food literally composed of chemicals. Chemicals are not inherently bad unless consumed at a toxic dose.
6. Farmers have been exposed to this herbicide for 30 years at undiluted doses. Where are the farmers suing Monsanto for exposure?
7. Less than a soda can of glyphosate is used on a football fields worth of crop. 90% of what you see coming out of a sprayer is water.
8. Weed killers used by people in the cities are used in much higher doses than glyphosate on farms. Chemicals found in kitchens and bathrooms are also far more toxic.
9. If family farmers knew that glyphosate was dangerous to humans, we would not willingly apply it. Especially to a food supply that we use to feed our own families.
10. If farmers make their living off of the surrounding soil and water and we knew glyphosate was bad for the environment, we would not apply it.